Pork Dishes

The 5 Greatest Pork Feasts On Earth

It will not come as much of a surprise to anyone that pork is the most widely consumed meat in the world, seeing off the challenges of chicken, goat and beef for the affection of the world’s chefs and home cooks.

Despite its familiarity and long history of use in cuisines around the planet, pork is having a “moment” in restaurant and home kitchens. We’ve all seen (maybe a little too much of) tattooed chefs proclaiming their love of all things pork on cooking shows and online. And the bacon craze — it’s best if we leave that one alone.

In the last few years I have eaten hundreds of pork-centric meals on every continent, but I would be hard pressed to name five better pork dishes than the ones listed below.

1- Goan pork vindaloo

Hands down, the classic vindaloo is my favorite pork-based meal anywhere on earth. It has its origins in the arrival in Goa of Portuguese traders and then colonists who would preserve pork in a vinho de alho, or wine of garlic. While most modern curry house interpretations aim to replicate as closely as possible the act of eating broken glass, the real thing is not to be missed. I base my own recipe on one given to me by a chef in Cavelossim, South Goa. It is the perfect combination of hot, sour and salty — and well worth a try.

2- Memphis pulled-pork sandwich

There are almost as many different types of barbecue in the United States as there are states themselves, and people have been known to come to blows or worse over what should go into making the perfect ‘cue. While Texans might argue that beef is the way to go, most people in the barbecue world look to the hog for inspiration. There are lots of great barbecue pork dishes including, of course, slabs of meaty baby back and spare ribs. However, for me, it is the slow-cooked pulled-pork sandwich that takes pride of place. I have eaten dozens, but the very best was at Payne’s BBQ in Memphis, Tennessee.

3- Bavarian Schweinshaxe

The Germans certainly know what they are about when it comes to cooking up a pig, as I found out on a visit to Porkcamp back in 2010. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the Bavarian city of Munich, where local beer halls sell the glorious Schweinshaxe, a pork knuckle that is salted and roasted before being served up with a softball-size potato dumpling. Add to this feast loud Bavarian music and copious steins of terrific German beer, and you have yourself one of the most enjoyable dining experiences anywhere on earth.

4- Portuguese suckling pig

Just off the freeway, halfway between the Portuguese cities of Lisbon and Porto, is the small town of Mealhada. It is a place that has become legendary among the Portuguese as the town that “leitão assado da bairrada,” or suckling pig built. Alvaro Pedro first opened a roadside stall to sell pork sandwiches to truck drivers making the journey between the two cities. It became such a success that he opened a restaurant, Pedro Dos Leitões, and then dozens of others followed suit. The pigs are fed on acorns, and the meat is rubbed with olive oil, garlic, pepper and salt before being roasted over the branches collected from local vineyards. The first crunch of salty skin and taste of creamy flesh confirms that this is one of the best pork dishes you will find anywhere.

5- Jamaican jerk pork

On a recent visit to Jamaica, I found myself sitting in Scotchies, near Montego Bay, enjoying the first of what turned out to be many plates of jerk pork. I have been told that the term “jerk” comes from the way the meat is poked around on the fire as it is being cooked, and while Scotchies guards the secret of their rub like the crown jewels, it definitely contains allspice, thyme and enough fiery scotch bonnet peppers to bring tears to even this heat seeker’s eyes. The meat is slow-cooked over pimento wood and is served with the traditional accompaniments of bammies and a cold Red Stripe lager or three. Not to be missed.